The Revival of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s

The Revival of the KKK in the 1920s: Nativism, Eugenics, and Immigration Policies

• The KKK disbanded in the 1870s after achieving their goal of restoring white supremacy in the South.
• President Woodrow Wilson played the notorious DW Griffith movie "Birth of A Nation" in the White House in 1915, leading to the revival of the KKK in the 1920s.
• The 1920s saw a surge in urban technologies, such as the assembly line, leading to a boom in industry in big cities.
• Nativism, favoring native-born citizens over immigrants, was on the rise due to the fear of loss of opportunity and the influx of immigrants from eastern and southern Europe.
• The KKK, with over 4 million members, targeted not only black Americans but also Jews, Catholics, foreigners, and organized labor unions.
• The trial of Sacco and Vanzetti, Italian immigrants and anarchists, exemplified the height of nativism and prejudice against immigrants in the 1920s.
• Eugenics, a "scientific" idea aimed at improving future generations by selecting favorable genes, gained prominence in the 1920s.
• Author Madison Grant's book "Passing of the Great Race" promoted eugenics and was used by the KKK to solidify their cause for white supremacy.
• The U.S. government passed the Emergency Quota Act in 1921, which limited immigration based on the country's current U.S. population.
• The National Origins Act in 1924 further reduced immigration quotas, effectively cutting off immigration from eastern and southern European nations.
• Both immigration acts were supported by the KKK, and President Coolidge signed the National Origins Act into law, stating "America must be kept American."
• The 1920s saw a resurgence of the KKK, fueled by nativism, eugenics, and restrictive immigration policies, as white Americans sought to maintain their perceived superiority and way of life.